Paterson: A Third Bloomberg Term Is ‘a Great Idea’

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Anybody spoiling for a political fight between the governor and mayor must have fretted a bit this morning when David Paterson effectively endorsed Mike Bloomberg’s not-officially-happening bid for a third term. Announcing the appointment of two evidently competent and sane professionals to run the state’s economic development authority, Paterson began to extol Bloomberg’s economic record for the city. Then he said: “If the mayor wants to run for a third term, I think it’s a great idea.” This could signal a slight distancing on Paterson’s part from the Harlem political machine that presumably supports Billy Thompson for mayor in 2010 (though Paterson did give Thompson a shout-out for his handling of city investments). Plus, after reports that he and Bloomberg have beef, it’s a sign that Paterson still wants to be allies with the powerful mayor and his economically stable domain.